Human trafficking is a rising global issue and is a dark human behavior that has been happening since the beginning of recorded history. These victims experience both mental and physical effects that are damaging to their lives, stripping their identity as individuals. Millions of women and children go through these traumatic experiences and have psychological consequences that need to be addressed but get little attention. This literature review suggests steps to be taken in order to treat these patients with the proper medical care by responding to the following questions:
1. What is human trafficking?
2. What health concerns do victims of human trafficking encounter?
3. How can doctors and nurses become more aware of this issue and better recognize victims?
4. What steps can be taken to treat these victims?
What Is Human Trafficking?
The organization, Stop the Traffik, defines human trafficking as “to be deceived or taken against your will, bought, sold and transported into slavery. For sexual exploitation, forced begging, sacrificial worship or removal of human organs, as child brides or into sweat shops, circuses, farm labour and domestic servitude” (Stop the Traffik, 2014). It is estimated by the International Labour Organization that up to 20.9 million people are toiling as modern slaves around the globe generating 19 billion dollars per year (Clause, 2013). Although there are many forms of human trafficking, prostitution occurs in almost half of these cases. See Figure 1.
What Health Concerns Do Victims Of Human Trafficking Encounter?
Trafficking victims are recruited by force, coercion or deception and most often suffer from high levels of physical, sexual and psychological abuse (Siân Oram, et all., 2012). Women w...
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...u, M. A., Gorceag, L., Trigub, C., & Abas, M. (2012). Physical health symptoms reported by trafficked women receiving post trafficking support in Moldova: Prevalence, severity and associated factors. BMC Women's Health, 12(1), 20 28. doi:10.1186/1472 6874 12 20 Retrieved from http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcwomenshealth/
Resources: Common health issues seen in victims of human trafficking (n.d.). The United States Department of Justice (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.justice.gov/usao/ian/htrt/health_problems.pdf Rodrigue, A. (2014, February 7). Rehab center for sex trafficking victims to open on Northshore. Eyewitness News. Retrieved from http://www.wwltv.com/news/northshore/Rehab center for sex trafficking victims to open on Northshore 244462991.html
What is human trafficking (2014). Stop the Traffik. Retrieved from http://www.somaly.org/approach/victim services
This journal article examines the issue of minor sex trafficking in the U.S and provides the reader with the results of the research that was conducted on the matter at hand. A data analysis consisting of 115 minor sex trafficking was thoroughly examined and studied. The information surrounding these cases was collected using two specific methods. One method included the reviewing of press releases of human trafficking cases issued by the Department of Justice. The second method was to obtain information via online searches of media reports.
Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery, in which individuals are being exploited for profit. When most of us hear human trafficking, we instantly conclude that a person is being held against their will to perform sexual acts and someone is profiting. In reality, there is also labor trafficking, where an individual is forced and threatened by employers to work against their will. There is an immense amount of victims of human trafficking not only in the United States, but also globally. Bringing awareness to communities is vital to help individuals who are victims of human trafficking to seek help, but also allow those to help rescue victims. By doing so, it is key to provide information on the rates of human trafficking, recruitment,
Human trafficking is a health care issue in that health care is often central to restoring the life and well-being of the trafficking survivor. The Family Violence Prevention Fund (2005) surveyed trafficking victims and health care providers and found that medical needs ranked second after housing and before advocacy and legal help in trafficking victims' needs (ibid.) (Kempadoo, Sanghera & Pattanaik, 2015). Regardless of the form of their exploitation, people who are trafficked suffer severe abuse that often results in outward physical injuries. Victims may suffer malnutrition, broken bones and teeth, facial injuries, and infected open wounds in addition to infectious diseases. Many victims are of childbearing age and have no access to birth
Studies have been performed to see whether or not sex trafficking victims suffer from mental disorders upon entering the world post-trafficking. The Abas et al. (2013) study takes in to the account, the victims’ pre-trafficking conditions such as whether or not they were abused as a child as well as the place that the victim was being trafficke...
Kotrla, K. (2010). Domestic minor sex trafficking in the United States. Social Work, 55(2), 181-187.
“People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The reason why the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used” (“27 Human Trafficking” 1). Occurring in every part of the world, human trafficking is a widespread, large problem. Many women and children are affected by human trafficking, causing their lives to be completely transformed. Once some women’s lives are changed, they will never return to normal again. Human sex trafficking is a growing problem that affects women emotionally, physically, and psychologically.
O'Neil, A. (n.d.). Human Trafficking Statistics [Scholarly project]. In Polaris Project. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
Children who have been sex trafficked or sexual exploited have all of these mental health issues and also have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), dissociation, and attachment issues (Miller-Perrin and Wurtle, 2017, p. 136). In fact, 77% of sex trafficked victims between the age of fifteen and forty-five had PTSD after being rescued from CSEC (Miller-Perrin and Wurtle, 2017, p. 139). Furthermore, in addition to mental health issues many sex trafficked survivors have several physical health issues. Ernewein and Nieves (2015), reported that victims suffer from unhealthy eating habits, sexually transmitted diseases and infections, and broken bones and other physical injuries (p. 798). In addition, Barnet (2016) reported that 80% of CSEC and sex-trafficking victims reported suicidal thoughts (p. 250). In brief, all victims of sex trafficking even after being recused suffer the consequences of being exploited sexually for the rest of their lives. These children have not only their childhoods taken away from them but their entire
What is human trafficking? “Human trafficking is when a person is recruit harbored, provided or obtained for the purposes of exploitation—often sold as an object”(Goldberg 1). “According to Atilade, human trafficking which is defined as the trade of humans through force deals with fraud or coercion to exploit the victims for forced labor, sexual exploitation, or both”
Criminal penalties for human trafficking include prison sentences up to 15-years-to-life and fines up to $1,500,000. There is a much higher risk than reward. Therefore the average American willing to do this is usually not too bright. The trafficking of women and adolescents is increasingly recognized as one of the world’s fastest growing crimes and a significant violation of human rights. Despite the need for evidence on the physical and psychological health consequences to inform rapidly emerging policies and services for trafficked persons, there is limited evidence about the needs of women who have been trafficked. The health of women and adolescent girls trafficked for sexual exploitation in Mexico have been
Summary: We see that there are many different aspects and types of human trafficking that everyone should be made aware of. As a whole human trafficking is a lucrative industry raking in $150 BILLION globally. The impact that this industry has on its victims is
Human trafficking is a worldwide issue affecting many individuals; the Department of States estimated that about 600,000 to 800,000 people are taken across borders each year and two to four millions of people being victimized within their own country (Siskin & Wyler, 2010). The majority of trafficking victims are forced into sexual exploitation, however many are also used for labor. Although there is a current US policy that addresses anti-trafficking legislation, the problem of victim identification still persists. The failure to adequately tackle this phenomenon, paired with a concern over human rights, has prompted debates over who is considered a victim. There needs to be a more effective way to eradicate the dangers of human trafficking.
"Facts On Human Trafficking And Sex Slavery | Soroptimist." Soroptimist.org. N. p., 2017. Web. 14
Trafficking is recognized as a major health problem and tragic transnational crime (Muftic). Most people think the physical abuse from trafficking is the worst part about it. What most people do not know, is the mental abuse can be just as horrifying if not more. The women who are trafficked have poorer health outcomes, and more intense and prolonged psychological reactions to abuse than women who are not trafficked (Muftic). When a woman's sexuality is violently used or abused, it is far more damaging to her than words, fists, or any other abuse that could be heaped on her. It is an invasion of the essence of who they are. Women were reported having suicidal thoughts/attempts, feelings of anger/rage, depression, inability to feel, difficulty sleeping, self-blame/guilt, and loss of appetite (Muftic). These poor women have no idea what the trafficking life can hold for them, not just while being there but also after they have left that life. Casey Roman noticed a coping mechanism for some of the women. They will laugh off information or past memories, telling their brains that what is or was happening to them is not as bad as it really is (Roman 2). Most of these women in the life have actual disorders. In 2008, the United States Department of Health and Human Services identified the serious and complex mental health problems of sex trafficking victims. The disorders included, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety and mood disorders, dissociative disorders, and substance related disorder (Muftic). The women might not even realize they have a disorder until they are out of the sex trafficking life and living in the normal world. It is evident that the mental effects take a negative toll on the women in sex
On the news and all over the world you hear the term human trafficking. What exactly is human trafficking? “Human trafficking is essentially modern-day slave trading, which ensnares millions of people in debt bondage or forced conditions.” (Siddharth).As many know today human trafficking has become a phenomenon all over the country. Human Trafficking is a global activity where women and young girls are being traded and used as sexual exploitation. As Siddharth stated that human trafficking is slowly becoming one of the most involved criminal activities all over the world. Two causes and two effects on how strongly our human beings are encouraged to take action.